DOH probes supposed double COVID-19 vaccination

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is looking into the supposed vaccination of an individual with Moderna’s vaccine, even if he was already fully inoculated with Sinovac.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH is coordinating with the concerned vaccination center where the man supposedly got his Moderna shot.

“We are trying to get the details of this. We saw this on a social media platform. Kinakausap po natin ngayon ‘yung (We are coordinating with the) vaccination center,” she told an online media briefing.

The man was supposedly fully vaccinated with Sinovac in Mandaluyong in May but received another jab from Moderna in Quezon City this week.

Vergeire said this could not be classified as a booster shot because the government does not recommend administering booster doses yet due to limited supply and insufficient data.

READ: DOH on COVID booster shots: Not enough vaccine supply; insufficient data on benefits

She said that while there is no legal sanction yet for those who will get vaccinated with other brands despite being fully vaccinated, doing so would be unethical.

“Sana naiisip natin, it’s more of moral and ethical. Kung ano po ang ibinakuna sa inyo, meron pong mga tao na hindi nabakunahan dahil sa inyo,” she said.

(I hope we will think of the moral and ethical aspects. If you get an extra dose, you are taking a dose from someone else.)

“Sana tayong lahat na Pilipino, magmalasakit po tayo sa kapakanan ng iba. Kung tayo po ay fully vaccinated na ng isang bakuna, tayo po ay wag muna pumunta sa direksyon na nagpapalagay ulit ng panibagong bakuna. Kailangan po natin mabakunahan muna ‘yung mga tao na hindi pa nabibigyan ng bakuna para pare-pareho tayong may proteksyon,” she added.

(I hope all of us Filipinos will think of other people. If we are already fully vaccinated with one brand, let us not get another vaccine. We should vaccinate other people first so that we all can get protection.)